About
“Karai” means lime mix and “Kal” means ‘canal‘, thereby the name may mean a canal built of lime mix. The Imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning ‘fish pass’. The town is also known as Karaigiri in Sanskrit. Karaikal was a maritime trading city in Chola Nadu till the 10th century. It was ruled successively by Vijayanagar, Maratha rulers, and became French in the late 18th century.
Karaikal is the birthplace of Karaikal Ammaiyar (born Punitavati), meaning “The Revered Mother of Karaikal,” who is one of the three women among the 63 Nayanmars and one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature. Ammaiyar was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Extreme bhakti works in its own miraculous ways. Ammaiyar climbed Mt. Kailash with her hands and head and was fondly called “Amma” by Lord Shiva.
